Six Nations 2014: Preparation

The Dan Lydiate Six Nations Column

It’s a case of knuckling down and working hard as a squad to put things right from last week.

Events as of late have meant my life’s been turned on its head, though as part of that it gives me pleasure to announce that this will be the first of my exclusive weekly column on AskMen UK for the duration of the Six Nations.

It’s been a crazy two weeks rushing back and forth to France, somehow timing it right for the birth of my newborn daughter Lucy and back in time for the game against Italy. It’s probably been the most rollercoaster week of my life but also quite possibly the best at the same time. We got our first win on the board at the first time of asking and my beautiful wife gave birth to a healthy baby. I couldn’t dream for more.

Even with the occasion at hand, surprisingly enough we resisted any temptation to call her anything rugby based! We had a few names in our heads prior to the birth but we waited to see him or her before deciding. When we found out that we were having a girl and saw her for the first time, we instantly realised that Lucy fitted her better than any other, and with that Lucy was born. Bad news for any rugby legacy though – we think she might be cut out more for being a farmer than a rugby player!

With Lucy now part of the family, it does emphasise that – as we’d expect when playing for the national team – we’re pretty much leading two lives. It’s always hard leaving family before big games and now it’s always playing in the back of my mind that whilst we’re all hard at work during training in Cardiff, I’ve a wonderful family rooting me on from Paris. It means a lot, but at the same time it would be so good to have them here when I’m playing. Right now, of course, that’s not quite possible.

We’ve got to concentrate on the task at hand, but with modern technology like video calling it does make it that bit easier. I’ll be back next week to visit them but it’s nice to be able to have the best of both. Chances are I’ve got a rugby ball in one hand and my phone in the other trying to connect with the family straight after an intense training session.

Anyway, onto rugby matters. I missed the last Six Nations through injury and I’m now relishing being back. It’s really hard sitting on the sidelines, having to watch the games from afar, so I’m excited to be playing and training as of last week. It’s all about getting better for each game, and improving after each one is just as important.

The Italy game last week, for example, gave us plenty to improve on. It was a tough start to the championship for the entire 80 minutes and whilst we got the win, which was the main thing, we’ve got to be a lot better this week when we play Ireland. The boys are trained professionals, and we’re now in good stead going into our second match. The mood in training is upbeat, and with such expert coaching and cutting-edge product giving us that advantage, it means we’re never stepping off the gas.

You head out to every game looking for a performance, and whilst we got the result last week we didn’t get the performance we wanted. In an ideal world you want both and this week that’ll be the target again. It’s a case of knuckling down and working hard as a squad to put things right from last week. The beauty of turning up to training, in a fantastic training facility and with some of the most motivated players on the planet, is knowing that everyone’s going to put in 110%, which is what’s needed on Saturday.

It’ll be another massive game this one coming, and plenty of national rivalry present no doubt. I’m teammates with Jonny Sexton so we’ve been texting a bit during the week, but when that whistle goes and the stage is there, the lines of friendships will be blurred with both of us concentrating on the task at hand.

What’s great about the sport of rugby is the camaraderie, and once we’ve gone in hard on the field there’ll be no problems shaking hands on the same field once a game’s over. What happens on the pitch happens on the pitch, and that’s what makes the sport so good.

After Ireland it’ll be much of the same again. In the tournament as a whole we’re aware as well that we’re “favourites” and for that reason will be expecting to win when it comes down to it. I used the term loosely, because the Welsh team, as with the other five nations, are only focused on the task at hand and that cliché of taking each game as it comes is so true.

We can’t control what goes on outside of the doors of our training ground but we can control what happens on the pitch. Ireland are playing in their own back yard, they got a result last week, and they’ll be looking for the same again. This will be massive, for all involved.

- Column exclusively brought to you by Under Armour athlete and WRU flanker Dan Lydiate.